Motherwell - Rangers

[LAF]

Kris Boyd's penalty gave Rangers a win over Motherwell in a stormy game without dropped captain Barry Ferguson as both sides ended up with 10 men.

Well defender Marc Fitzpatrick was sent off for a kick at goalkeeper Allan McGregor and Dado Prso followed after the heated exchanges that followed.

McGregor's fine saves denied Scott McDonald and David Clarkson, while Brahim Hemdani cleared off the line.

But Boyd fired home after Prso was felled by goalkeeper Graeme Smith.

Rangers manager Paul Le Guen had controversially axed Ferguson and stripped the Scotland midfielder of the captaincy.

His place was taken by new captain Gavin Rae, with Ian Murray, Dado Prso and Chris Burke also coming in at the expense of Sasa Papac, Charlie Adam and Nacho Novo.

Boyd almost set up Rae within seconds of the kick-off inside the box.

Karl Svensson stabbed wide of target from the resulting corner, before a Chris Burke effort was smothered on the line by goalkeeper Graeme Smith.

But a Motherwell side unchanged from the one that drew with Celtic at the weekend were quickly looking the more dangerous side.

Richie Foran nodded wide from a Jim Paterson corner and goalkeeper Allan McGregor fumbled a Scott McDonald shot before the danger was eventually cleared.

Rangers ground their way back into the game and Smith had to be quick off his line to prevent Libor Sionko pouncing on a Prso through ball.

Sionko picked up an injury that forced him off after 26 minutes, to be replaced with Novo.

The substitute's cross found Prso six yards out, but Martin Corrigan did just enough to send deflect the Croatian striker's header a foot wide of the post.

Prso had the first glimpse at goal after the break, but his powerful, 10-yard effort was fired straight into the midriff of goalkeeper Smith from a difficult angle.

David Clarkson was wrongly flagged offside after a lovely cross from McDonald, but the unmarked Motherwell striker headed wide from just six yards in any case.

Novo fired a goalbound effort off strike partner Boyd after clever play from Prso.

And, as play flowed from end to end, McDonald had a snap shot trapped under the body of goalkeeper McGregor.

McGregor did superbly to turn a 20-yard curling McDonald drive over the bar.

And, from the resulting corner, McGregor palmed a Clarkson volley up in the air and Brahim Hemdani cleared a Richie Foran header off the line.

Prso ran clear at the other end but fired into the side netting.

However, when Smith needlessly felled Prso inside the box, Boyd sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Motherwell almost equalised when McGregor could only parry an effort from substitute Molloy and a goalmouth scramble ensued as Jeremy Clement attempted to clear off Rangers' line.

Fitzpatrick appeared to kick at the goalkeeper's head, which led to a tussle with Novo that Prso appeared to be attempting to break up before joining the Motherwell man in being shown a red card.

BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier | Motherwell 0-1 Rangers